She Who Is Golden
by Coca-Cola3012
Summary: About a year after The Outsiders, Sonia loses her mother and is shipped off to Oklahoma, where she is in custody of the father she never knew. Unfortunately for her, this father is also engaged to the mother of a certain greaser...complications ensue.
1. She Who Is Golden

Disclaimer: This story is kind of a cross between The Outsiders, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Namesake, Born Confused and my own wacky imagination. Enjoy!

Chapter One: She Who Is Golden

Sonali, or Sonia, as she preferred, the latter sounding more American, was sitting in U.S. History. It was a chilly January day in Philadelphia, but despite the cold, Sonia would rather have been outside.

The class groaned simultaneously as Mr. Nomme sprang a pop quiz on the class. _Great. Just what I needed. A pop quiz, on my birthday,_ Sonia groused to herself.

Someone knocked on the door. Mr. Nomme took his time handing out the quizzes before he answered it. He blocked the doorway as he and whoever it was on the other spoke in hushed tones for a while.

Finally he stepped back from the doorway, cleared his throat and boomed across the classroom, "Sonia, a word, if you please?"

The class "ooh"-ed menacingly all at once. Mr. Nomme quieted them down as Sonia slowly stood up, dread filling her, and trudged to the door. A paramedic was on the other side. Immediately Sonia feared the worst, and it was the worst that came out of the paramedic's mouth:

"Sonali Ganguli, your mother was involved in a three car crash on Madison Street this morning. I'm afraid there was nothing we could do. Your mother is dead."

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Ever since she was a small child, Sonia had depended on her mother for everything. Her mother, an immigrant from the state of Bengal in India, had crossed an ocean alone to make a new life for herself after both her parents had perished in an automobile wreck. It was funny how history repeated itself.

Arriving alone in a strange country, Ashima Ganguli had met, fallen in love with and married Seamus Sullivan, a businessman with high hopes and big dreams. As it turned out, that's all they were: dreams.

In her third year of marriage and sixth month of pregnancy, Ashima kicked her husband, now a compulsive gambler, out of their house in Philadelphia. She refused to have her life ruined by someone who couldn't take care of himself, let alone a family.

She had gotten a job and worked two shifts overtime, even when the doctor advised her not to do so, to pay for everything. It got even harder when she had her baby. But she refused to give up, and struggled even harder for her child. Sonali, she had named the newborn, meaning "she who is golden," for Sonia had been, as she had liked to tell Sonia whenever she was down and out, "the only thing golden in my life."

She had raised Sonia as a single mother, looked down upon by society in general for not having settled down. Sonia had always known and never fully appreciated how strong her mother had been.

And now, it seemed, she was an orphan.

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"Mom, I couldn't be happier for you!" Anne, Two-Bit's little sister, practically squeaked.

Two-Bit cracked a grin at his sister's attitude. "Oh, momma, I'm so thrilled!" he put on a high pitched voice and threw his arm around their mother.

"I couldn't be happier either, darling," their mother beamed. "I'm so happy to be marrying Seamus, I think I'll burst!"

"How did he propose?" Anne pressed. "Was it romantic?"

"Wait till I leave the room," Two-Bit said, untangling himself from his mother. "Spare me the gory details."

"Oh, Two-Bit," his mother admonished, but she was laughing. "Can you be serious for one minute of your life?"

"Nope," Two-Bit said, already swaggering out of the room. "I'm happy for you getting married again and everything, mom, but save the gushy stuff for your female friends."

Sodapop and Steve had hooted incredulously at the news. Darry was happy enough before he ran off to his second shift, and Ponyboy told him how great that was. And it was great, too. His mother had never been happier since his father had left them all those years ago. Two-Bit couldn't remember it, but he didn't like to think about it either.

Two-Bit ambled down Tulsa's broken streets. He tried to think of something else to do. Anything. But no matter what he did, he couldn't get his mother's engagement off his mind.

And why not? It was a big part of all their lives. From the looks of the boulder on her finger, he was a big-time Soc. A businessman, according to her.

Two-Bit wondered how this was going to affect his life, if he would have to move away. He couldn't stand to be away from Tulsa and his friends.

_What am I saying?_ he realized with a start. _I'm eighteen, I can move out! But I'd have to get a job…on second thought, I'll move with them if they move to Mars._

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The social worker had told it to her straight. There was nowhere else she could go, except to her biological father who had rights to her.

"What if he doesn't want me?" Sonia had asked, barely able to hold back her tears even after three days.

"We've already contacted him," the social worker told her. "He is currently a businessman in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has agreed to take custody of you."

"But he doesn't even know me," Sonia protested.

"He wants to," the social worker told Sonia, and for a moment, sympathy appeared on her strict face. It disappeared as quickly as it had come as come as she went on: "Someone will come to pick you up tomorrow afternoon at one to take you to the airport. From there you will fly to Tulsa and will be received by your father, Seamus Sullivan."

Seamus Sullivan. Sonia wondered if she would have to change her last name, Ganguli, her mother's, to his. She hoped not. Gangrene jokes nonetheless, she liked the reminder of her Bengali heritage.

She wondered if he'd changed, or if her mother had just been exaggerating all these years about how he was no good.

She wondered if he'd love her, if he'd even like her. She knew she probably wouldn't make a good first impression: she was just over five feet, which may have been normal height for anyone in India but was tiny compared to everyone in America, and had a long, thin face with a pointed nose and chin. Her skin was almost fair because of her Irish heritage, which probably also accounted for her mahogany curls.

One thing was for sure: nothing would ever be the same.

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Whaddya think? Review, please?


	2. Welcome to Oklahoma

Chapter Two: Welcome to Oklahoma

Two-Bit swallowed the last of his orange juice. "See you tonight, mom," he called as he stood up and strolled to the front door, jangling his car keys.

He swung the door open and found himself awkwardly face to face with Seamus, who had been about to knock on the door and found himself knocking on Two-Bit instead.

"Oh. Sorry, Two-Bit," he apologized. "I realize that you were on your way out, but I have something to tell your mother and I think you kids have a right to know too."

Two-Bit's mouth fell slightly open. Seamus laughed nervously at this reaction. "It's not what you think," he said hurriedly. "Just…please. Hear me out."

"I'll be late for school," Two-Bit made an excuse. Seamus, who had gotten to know Two-Bit annoyingly well over the past few months, smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, okay," Two-Bit gave in.

He led Seamus into the kitchen, where Anne and his mom were eating. His mother leapt up at the sight of her fiancé. "Seamus!" she exclaimed. "I wasn't expecting you here, today, so soon."

"Ah, yes, dear, I know, but, um. There's been a change in circumstances. No, no, nothing like that," he reassured her as her smile dropped. "You remember I told you I was married before, yes? Well, my wife and I separated before we had any children, but she was pregnant. And I just recently got the news that she died in a tragic car accident, and I have custody over her daughter."

"But, doesn't she have any other relatives? And don't they have foster homes and such?" his mother asked, almost pleadingly.

"Hannah, dear," Seamus explained gently. "You don't understand. I _accepted_ custody of her."

Thick silence immediately fell over the room like a heavy blanket. Two-Bit and Anne watched, wide-eyed and keeping their mouths shut as their mother closed her eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath before speaking:

"You did what, Seamus? You brought another child into our lives without even _discussing_ it with me?"

"Hannah, please try to understand. The social worker called me up at work, and told me that I would have to make an immediate decision. The child has nowhere else to go!"

"But what about my children? What will they do?"

Seamus seemed to be at a loss for words. Two-Bit jumped in. "I'm okay with it."

"I'd like a sister," Anne cut in. Their mother glanced first at Anne, then at Two-Bit, and then finally at Seamus' pleading face.

"When is she coming?" she finally said, and Two-Bit breathed a sigh of relief. That was a sure sign that she had accepted the idea.

"She's supposed to arrive from Philadelphia by this afternoon," Seamus said sheepishly. "All the arrangements were made in quite a hurry. I'm so sorry, darling," he said again, taking her hands in his. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Once more his Irish charm worked its magic on their mom, Two-Bit thought as Hannah blushed and nodded shyly like a schoolgirl.

"Well, I'm off to school," Two-Bit announced to purposely ruin their moment. "Anne, need a lift?"

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Sonia had never been on a plane before. It was how she imagined a straightjacket would be, encased in an area that would appear big enough but in truth wasn't. Her knees buckled as the man in front leaned back his chair.

To make matters worse, she was trapped next to a boy who, upon first glance, appeared handsome and even smiled at her, but who quickly fell asleep on her shoulder and drooled on her jacket.

She didn't think she had ever been so thankful for anything when the flight was over.

Stepping out of the terminal, she realized that she had no idea what her father looked like. She was saved when he approached her. "Sonali Ganguli?" he said.

"Y-yeah," she replied shakily. "Seamus Sullivan?"

"Or dad. Whichever you prefer," he smiled. He had a pleasant face, dark hair like Sonia's, bushy eyebrows that made him look as though he was constantly glowering and a genuine smile. "You got everything?"

"Yeah."

In the car, he was the one who started the conversation. "So you would be sixteen now?"

"Yeah. Um, where are we going?"

"Well, right now I live in an apartment in Tulsa. But I'm going to be moving to a house pretty soon, just as soon as I get married. We're going there now, so you can meet Hannah."

"You're…you're engaged?" Sonia practically squeaked.

"Yes." He frowned. "Didn't they tell you anything about me?"

"No, not really. Just your name, where you lived and that you were a businessman." Three things Sonia had already known about listening to her mother.

"That's a shame." They were driving through a neighborhood much like the one Sonia and her mother had lived in back in Philadelphia: lower class, inner city, slums. Whatever you called it, to Sonia it was home.

It gave her scant comfort to be in familiar surroundings. At least, that's what she thought until she caught sight of a cowboy or a wannabe cowboy (although why anyone would want to be a cowboy was beyond her) strolling down the cracked sidewalk.

_Welcome to Oklahoma,_ she thought gloomily, sinking further down into her seat.

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"Hey, Two-Bit. What's with the goofy costume? Halloween ain't for a few more months," Ponyboy laughed upon seeing his friend in his ridiculous new getup.

"Aw, it's just some stuff I lifted from Buck's place."

"What for?"

"Just to scare my new stepsister from the city of brotherly love I'm gonna give her a real Oklahoma welcome."

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There you have it. Review?


	3. PeptoBismol Pink

Chapter Three: Pepto-Bismol Pink

Anne was bouncing up and down everywhere like a hyper puppy. "When will they get here?" she said excitedly. "I hope she's nice. We can do everything sisters do together!"

"What if she's really younger than you, sis? Or older?" Two-Bit said pessimistically. Those stirrups were starting to get to him. _Hope she's not hot, _he thought. _Hope she's not a hot blonde. I'd have to kill myself._

"I don't care! I've always wanted a sister!"

Before Two-Bit could make a wise remark, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it," sang their mother, gliding through the room. She was dressed to the nines in a new skirt and blouse. Two-Bit could smell her perfume as she went by him. She was really trying to make a good first impression.

She swung the door wide open and smiled brightly. "Well, hello, dear," she said overly-cheerfully. "Seamus, and you must be Sonali!"

In the doorway stood Seamus and, next to him, a petite girl with a pretty if somewhat narrow face and soft brown curls cascading down her back. "Hello, Mrs. Mathews," she said. Even her voice was soft.

Two-Bit heaved an inward sigh of relief as Anne darted forward. She may have been pretty, but she wasn't blonde. That Two-Bit could live with.

"Hi!" his sister squeaked excitedly. "I'm Anne, and I'm so glad to be your sister! We're gonna have so much fun!"

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Sonia knew how she must look, with her freaky combination of features and rumpled clothing.

When Hannah had flung open that door, Sonia had seen the cheap delight in her eyes. She didn't really want Sonia there. Probably Seamus had suckered her into it. According to her mother, he had been very good at that.

She pronounced Sonali's name wrong, saying it "Sun-alley." The "Son—" was pronounced like the first part of "sonorous," and "—ali" like Ali Baba.

Then a girl of about thirteen came bounding over and started squealing about how they were going to be sisters and how it was going to be so much fun doing each other's hair and makeup.

Once Sonia had actually stepped inside the house, the older boy stepped forward. Sonia bit back a laugh for the first time since her mother's death. It was the cowboy she had seen on the street earlier.

He swaggered forward bandy-legged, cowboy hat hiding most of his face, muscles rippling under his checker design shirt as he flexed his arms, and drawled in a true cowboy fashion, "Howdy."

Sonia could have fallen over laughing, but tried to be polite. Seamus saved her when he demanded, "Two-Bit, just what do you think you're doing?"

"Ah'm jest givin' this here little lady a true Oklahoman howdy. So, howdy, miss."

"Keith!" Hannah said warningly.

"Sorry, mom," Two-Bit or Keith said more normally, pulling off the cowboy hat to reveal slicked back hair, long rusty sideburns, and the goofiest grin Sonia had ever seen. It was like the Cheshire cat's. He stuck out a hand to Sonia. "Hi. I'm Keith, but you can call me Two-Bit. Everybody else does."

"Yeah, cause he always has to put his two bits in," the younger girl piped up. She introduced herself then. "I'm Ann."

She was probably one of those Ann's who insisted on spelling their name with an E and was extremely finicky about it: Anne.

"I'm Sonali," Sonia said last. "But call me Sonia." The only person who had ever called her anything other than that on a regular basis—Sonali, Sonu, Sony, Soniye—was her mother.

Most others stuck with Sonia, except that one black guy, Brandon, on her block who insisted on calling her "Sony-Way" after he had heard her mother call her that. Actually she had said "Soniye," and Sonia had protested vehemently to Brandon, but he was like that.

"Um," Anne said into the sudden awkward silence. "So…you look different than I imagined you."

_You mean I'm Indian,_ Sonia thought, but said: "How did you think I'd look?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Like Seamus, I guess," Anne said uncertainly. "But I guess you look more like your mom."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Why don't you put your bags upstairs?" Hannah suggested. "You'll be sharing a room with Anne."

"Anne doesn't mind?" Sonia said incredulously, turning to Anne.

"Nope!" Anne said giddily. "We'll have SO much fun together!"

"Uh, darling," Seamus said hurriedly. "That won't be necessary—"

"Nonsense!" Hannah waved him away. "This will be her new home eventually, dear, so she might as well make herself at home!"

Sonia didn't feel like she was at home. She may have been in a similar neighborhood, but it wasn't the same. Home hadn't been her surroundings. It had been her mother, the one person she could turn to. But not anymore.

"So, dear," Hannah was saying. "What would you like to do first?"

_Go back home,_ Sonia thought, but she knew that wasn't an option. "Um, I'm kind of tired," she lied. "Is it okay if I just go to sleep?"

"Oh, of course, dear!" Hannah said. "You must be jetlagged. Two-Bit, show her to the room, why don't you?"

As Two-Bit led her out, Sonia could swear she heard Anne whisper, "How can she be jetlagged? She just came down from Philadelphia!"

"Hush, dear, she's had a very trying past couple of days," Hannah shushed her.

"Well, here's the room," Two-Bit announced grandly, flinging the door open ceremoniously. "Fit for the maharajah of Delhi himself!"

"Wow. Anne really likes pink," Sonia commented as she stepped inside. That could have been the understatement of the century. There were pink walls, bed, ceiling, floor, posters…it was pink on holiday. All the same hideous shade of Pepto-Bismol, too. It was giving her a headache already.

"Yeah. We tried to stomp it out of her, but it wouldn't go away," Two-Bit sighed tragically. Then he seemed to bounce back to normal and said, "Well, happy dreaming, Sony."

Sonia was about to snap, "Don't call me that," but the door had already slammed shut.

_This is going to take some getting used to,_ Sonia thought, looking around.

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Review, please?


	4. Oh Brother, Stepbrother, That Is

Chapter Four: Oh, Brother….Stepbrother, That Is.

"Mom?" Anne said at the breakfast table. "Sonia's done nothing except sleep for, like, three days!"

The sad thing was, Anne wasn't exaggerating. Sonia barely ate when she showed up for meals, and she slept most other times. But still. It wasn't like these were normal conditions. Despite himself, Two-Bit empathized with her.

"Leave her alone," Two-Bit said. "She'll be okay. She's just getting over her mom."

Anne glared at him. "You weren't like this after your friends died!" she said almost accusingly. "Why can't she get over it?"

"Would you get over it so easy if me and mom just snuffed it and you had to move across the country?" Two-Bit shot back.

"Stop it!" Hannah slammed her hand down on the table, hard.

Sonia shuffled into the kitchen fully dressed. She cleared her throat before saying, "When can I start school?"

Hannah stared at her. "So soon, dear?"

"Is that okay?" Sonia said reluctantly. "I mean, I have all my transcripts, and I don't want to fall behind."

"That's perfectly okay. You can go to school with Two-Bit today, if you like."

"If it's okay with Two-Bit," Sonia responded, casting Two-Bit a look.

Two-Bit shrugged. "I don't mind," he said. "C'mon, kids, let's hit the road!"

"Oh, Two-Bit, give her a chance to have some breakfast!" Hannah scolded.

"I'm not hungry," Sonia insisted, ducking out before Hannah could persuade her further.

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"Which way to the office?" Sonia asked Two-Bit once they were at the high school. Two-Bit chuckled. "I'll take you, no problem," he said, ushering her down the hall and into the office.

"What now, Mr. Mathews?" the woman at the desk said wearily. Sonia cleared her throat. "I'm a new student here," she said. "I'm enrolling."

"All right. Mr. Mathews, you are excused."

As he was leaving, Two-Bit turned to Sonia and said, "I'll be out front if you want a ride home. If you're not there by 3:10, then you're on your own."

"Okay," Sonia said. "Thanks."

"All right, dear, I'll need your full name. And do you have your transcripts?"

"Yes ma'am," Sonia said, handing her the papers. "Sonali Ganguli."

"My, my," the woman said as she looked over the transcripts. "You were in Pre-Calculus and AP Chemistry? But you're only a sophomore!" She looked up at Sonali. "You don't even look your age! You _are _sixteen?"

"Yes," Sonia said, slightly alarmed. No one had ever made such a big deal out of it before.

"Well, your English scores show why you haven't skipped any grades," the woman said disapprovingly. Sonia fumed inwardly. She had always spoken and written English the way she had learned it from her mother: broken. It wasn't her fault she was the child of an immigrant. It was good enough to get by with, so who cared if she wasn't Shakespeare?

"Here's your schedule," the woman said, typing it up and handing it to her. "Your teachers will give you your books, and I shall call them right away so they are notified of your joining the class."

Sonia nodded. She glanced at her first class. English.

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Ponyboy sat doodling at his desk. The bell rang, and he quickly closed his notebook and looked up.

"Class," the teacher droned at the front. "This is Sonali Ganguli. She is joining our class from Philadelphia. You may take a seat next to Mr. Curtis. Mr. Curtis, please acknowledge yourself."

Ponyboy raised a hand. The new girl looked Socy, but without the typical Soc arrogance. She looked somewhere between terrified, mortified, and there was sadness in her eyes.

"Hi," Ponyboy said shyly. "I'm Ponyboy," he introduced himself, and then winced inwardly as he waited for her reaction.

There was none. Ponyboy decided he liked her already. "Hi, Ponyboy," she said.

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It was the end of the day. Sonia was rummaging for a stick of gum on her way out when she slammed into somebody. "I'm so sorry," she apologized immediately, and then looked up. "Oh, hi, Ponyboy."

"Hey. Where're you headed to?"

"My…almost stepbrother's picking me up. You?"

"I'm catching a ride with my friend," Ponyboy responded.

They headed out together and stared at each other incredulously when they both approached the same beat-up old car.

"You're the girl Two-Bit's been telling us about?" Ponyboy exclaimed.

"He's been telling you about me? He never mentioned you! Not that we've talked much anyway," Sonia added.

"You're a lot prettier than he makes you out to be," Ponyboy said, and then blushed as he realized what he had just said.

Sonia couldn't hold back a smile, but managed to stifle a laugh. He was so innocent, it was hilarious. "You flatter me," she responded dryly.

"Hey, horse man. Hey, gangrene," Two-Bit greeted them cheerfully, slapping Ponyboy playfully on the back and winking at Sonia.

"Don't call me that!" Ponyboy and Sonia snapped simultaneously. Two-Bit looked amusedly from one to the other.

"I can see you two have already been well acquainted, eh?" he nudged Ponyboy and waggled his eyebrows. Ponyboy cracked a reluctant grin, but Sonia rolled her eyes. He may have been able to keep his mother and Anne rolling, but she didn't find him funny in the least bit.

"Two-Bit," she said, irked, "Shut up, will ya?"

"Okay," Two-Bit said amicably, but did no such thing as Ponyboy and Sonia both clambered into the backseat. Of course Two-Bit had to make a licentious joke about it, and so Ponyboy defiantly slid into the front seat.

"What, my stepsister ain't good enough for ya?" Two-Bit pretended to threaten Ponyboy. Ponyboy wisely didn't respond, and Sonia rolled her eyes in the back.

Two-Bit rambled on until they pulled up to the Curtis house, and Ponyboy got off. Before he headed inside, he ducked his head back in to say, "Hey, Two-Bit, you wanna come to the Nightly Double tonight?"

"Who all is going?" Two-Bit asked.

"Well, just me," Ponyboy admitted. "Sonia, you wanna come too?"

"It's okay," Sonia said quickly. They probably wanted to pick up girls and engage in "unsanitary American habits," as her mother had disparagingly put it. As a result, Sonia had never had a boyfriend or even a date.

"You sure?" Ponyboy asked even as Sonia's heart ached at the memory of her mother's stubborn traditional ways.

"I'm sure," Sonia managed to say around the lump in her throat.

"C'mon, kid," Two-Bit encouraged. "Get out some. Fresh air'll do ya good."

"And what am I breathing now?"

"Aw, c'mon. What are ya, chicken?" Two-Bit taunted. That old jibe never worked on her.

"Nope," she said. "I'm not going."

Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow at her. "For a chick that's supposed to be from the city of brotherly love, you ain't showing much love for your brother," he said, pretending to be hurt.

"Why do you want me tagging along?" Sonia countered. "Girls aren't going to want to talk to a guy that already with a girl. And won't I cramp your style or whatever?"

"I'll leave you two alone and get my own chick," Two-Bit said. "I'm just driving you two there and back. On my time, understand?" he added. "I get, uh, held up, you got to find your own mode of transportation."

Sonia turned her eyes on Ponyboy. "What about you?" she asked. "Don't you stuff to do there like him?" she jerked her head at Two-Bit.

"I don't do that kind of stuff," Ponyboy said. "I'd like it if you came. The movie'll probably be trash, but we can talk."

"Talk, eh?" Two-Bit said suggestively.

Sonia sighed. It seemed that she was stuck. "Okay," she agreed grudgingly. "I'd like to talk with you, Ponyboy."

Ponyboy smiled suddenly. It took Sonia aback. _He shouldn't be allowed to be able to do that, _she thought, hating herself for being taken in by that smile.

"I'll come by Two-Bit's tonight," he said. "The movie starts at eight, so I'll be there…quarter till?"

"Okay," Sonia said, even as she thought, _Oh, brother. Stepbrother, that is._

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Totally lame ending, right? Eh.


	5. Brotherly Protection

Chapter Five: Brotherly Protection

(A/N: I've gotten some questions if this is going to be a Ponyboy/Sonia story or a Two-Bit/Sonia story. I can't say if it's going to be a Ponyboy/Sonia story yet, but it will definitely NOT be a Two-Bit/Sonia story. I know they're not blood relatives or even stepsiblings yet, but remember last chapter when Two-Bit says, "For a chick that's supposed to be from the city of brotherly love, you ain't showing much love for your brother"? That's there for a reason. He already considers himself her brother; therefore there will be nothing between them. Their parents are practically married. It would be too messed up. Okay. Sorry to slow you down. On with the show.)

"Sony Gangrene! We're leaving!" Two-Bit hollered up the stairs.

"I'm right here," she said from behind him.

Two-Bit whipped around. "Oh. There ya are."

"Hey, Sonia," Ponyboy said shyly. Two-Bit noticed that Ponyboy had greased his hair with a little more care than usual, and that he couldn't keep his eyes off Sonia.

_Aw, Ponyboy's got a crush,_ Two-Bit thought. _About time. I was beginning to wonder if he was a queer. _

"Where're you going?" Anne demanded, running in. Her eyes grew wide at the sight of Ponyboy and Sonia. "Are you on a _date?"_ she practically squeaked.

"If we were, why would Two-Bit be coming?" Sonia pointed out logically. Anne shrugged and skipped away.

Two-Bit had had his wisecrack all lined up and ready to fire, but it had withered on his tongue upon noticing how red Ponyboy's ears had gone.

He knew what he was feeling. Brotherly protection towards Sonia. Sonia, who he had known for barely a week. He found himself wanting to pull Ponyboy aside and tell him that if he dared lay a hand on her, he was a dead man.

In the car, he once again teased Ponyboy into sitting in the front seat. He didn't want him back there with her. Which made absolutely no sense. This was _Ponyboy,_ after all, not Tim Shepard.

The feeling had faded by the time they got to the Nightly Double, much to Two-Bit's relief. It was creeping him out, although he supposed it was good practice for when Anne started dating.

"I'll see you kiddies later," he said. "Don't get in too much trouble, eh?" he winked at Ponyboy, who merely rolled his eyes.

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"Is he always like that?" Sonia questioned once Two-Bit had swaggered off. Ponyboy nodded. She smelled like Indian spice and soap.

"That's why we call him Two-Bit," he managed to say.

They found seats and sat down awkwardly, Sonia smoothing her skirt over her knees and Ponyboy chagrined at finding himself wishing she wouldn't.

"So," he said. "So," she said. They avoided conversation for a few more minutes before Sonia asked, "What's all this about Socs and Greasers?"

Ponyboy found himself relaxing a he explained to her the rivalry, the general hate that was dying down now that two kids—Johnny and Dally—had died.

"I heard you knew them," Sonia said quietly. "I'm so sorry."

She said it like she meant it. Ponyboy glanced up at her startled, and nearly launched into the entire story, but something held him back. Maybe another time. Just not now.

"Didn't you have anything like that in Philly?" Ponyboy asked to change the topic.

Sonia nodded. "Oh yeah. Blacks against whites, one gang versus another. There was always something going down. I was kind of out of it, though. I just hung out with the rest of the general Hindu community, which was about three others kids."

Ponyboy had to crack a grin at that one. "Do you still keep in touch?" he asked.

"I wrote them yesterday, and they don't even have my address yet. Till I got here, I didn't even know."

"Why did you move down here?" Ponyboy asked, because he honestly didn't know.

"My mom died in a car wreck," Sonia explained. "My dad left us and he was down here. He took custody of me. And he's engaged to Two-Bit's mom."

Now it was Ponyboy's turn to be sorry. When he said so, however, Sonia shrugged. "It's okay." Then, "Why do people say they're sorry anyway? It's not like they killed whoever died. Unless they did. Then they should be sorry."

"Life's weird like that," Ponyboy said. "But I know how you feel. My parents're dead too, in an auto wreck."

"I'm sorry," Sonia said automatically. She and Ponyboy glanced at each other, and broke out laughing.

"Really, though," Ponyboy went on. "More than anything, I miss my mom. She was golden, and beautiful, and perfect, and…" he trailed off to see Sonia staring at him.

"You don't have to stop," she said quietly. When Ponyboy said nothing, she went on. "My mother wasn't what you'd call perfect, but she was beautiful, and strong." And tough, and whip-smart, and a great cook, and everything else.

"Must've been hell losing her," Ponyboy said absently. He was still thinking of his own mother.

"Yeah," Sonia said strangely. "Actually, it kind of was."

Something in her tone made Ponyboy look over at her. She was looking back at him, too. They sat there for a moment, just looking at each other.

A hand clamped down on each of their shoulders. "You're done for, greasers!" a Soc growled.

Sonia's face twisted in annoyance. "Two-Bit, what do you want?" she demanded without turning around.

Two-Bit leaped nimbly over the backs of the chairs. Ponyboy scooted aside before Two-Bit landed in his lap. The big greaser was now sandwiched between Sonia and Ponyboy with his feet on the next chair.

The guy in the front turned around. "Get your feet off my chair," he growled.

Two-Bit whipped out his blade, a new razor-sharp one he had lifted after his old one had never been found. Ponyboy saw Sonia's eyes grow huge at the sight of it.

"Who's gonna make me?" Two-Bit snarled back. Wisely, the guy in front turned back around without further complaint.

The movie, a dumb beach party one, blared. "Why don't they play something decent for once?" Ponyboy groused, just to be saying something.

Two-Bit clapped a hand on Ponyboy's shoulder. "Son," he began gravely. "The purpose of coming to the Nightly Double is not to _watch_ the movie, but to provide background distraction in-between finding hot blondes to make out with…like her. Hey, Cindy!" he barked, leaping up and darting away.

Sonia moved over into Two-Bit's vacated seat. "He," she declared. "Is very weird."

"Tell me about it," Ponyboy muttered.

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"So, I'll see you tomorrow," Sonia said when Two-Bit dropped Ponyboy off at his house.

"Yeah," Ponyboy replied, smiling again in that way that made her want to melt.

"Yeah, yeah, move it along, I ain't got all night," Two-Bit said impatiently. Ponyboy just grinned and ducked out of the car. Sonia crawled into the front seat from the backseat and sighed heavily.

"Sorry to see him go?" Two-Bit taunted good-naturedly.

"No. Your backseat just smells like a lot of cheap perfume. It's suffocating," Sonia replied.

"Okay. Whatever," Two-Bit said nonchalantly, but Sonia knew he saw right through her, and she knew that he knew that she knew. It was maddening.

But not nearly as maddening as the way Ponyboy made her feel. It wasn't love; it was more the feeling that he had been through what she had and had felt exactly the same way she did. All at once, she felt elated that she was not alone, and miserable that anyone else would have to go through that kind of heartbreak.

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	6. Soda and Sodapop

Chapter Six: Soda and Sodapop

The first words out of Sonia's mouth to Ponyboy on Monday morning were "Anne's got a major crush on you and she made me sign an oath that we're just friends."

"Well, hello to you too, Ms. Ganguli, on this fine morning," Ponyboy replied. "I'm fine, thank you. My weekend was lovely, thanks. Yours no doubt was fine as well, I'm sure."

"Shut it," Sonia told him.

"Did she really make you sign an oath?" Ponyboy guffawed.

"Yes. I think you two would make quite a cute couple."

"Me and Anne? Two-Bit's kid sister?"

"Why not? You're about the same age, thirteen and fourteen."

"I'm fifteen, thank you very much," Ponyboy said irritably, but his heart was thumping. Sonia was sixteen, he knew. And she didn't think a year was a big age difference.

"Whatever," Sonia said breezily, and Ponyboy would have said more but the bell rang and they hurried into class.

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"Need a ride, Gangrene?" Two-Bit hollered to Sonia.

"No, thanks!" she shouted back. "I'll walk!"

"What's the point? I got room, in the trunk!" Two-Bit joked as Ponyboy, Steve, and a couple of other greasers piled into his car. "No, but seriously, I got space if you need a ride," he said more normally as she walked by.

Sonia raised an eyebrow at the six boys already crammed inside the beat-up car.

"They'll make room, right, fellas?"

"You can sit on my lap, baby," one of them stuck his greasy head out the window and grinned devilishly at Sonia.

"I'll pass," Sonia replied dryly. "Besides, I'm not going straight home anyway. I'll catch a ride later and see you later, Bit."

"It's Two-Bit, not Bit," Two-Bit said, irked. "And where're you off to anyway? Hot date?"

"Not even. I got a job." Then, while Two-Bit was reeling from that revelation, she strode away, calling back over her shoulder, "I'll be home by nine."

"Sheesh, she doesn't have to go outta her way to make me look bad like that," Two-Bit joked, but he was a bit miffed nonetheless. "Getting a job. Next thing I know she'll be head cheerleader or something stupid like that."

He glanced briefly in his rearview mirror, not checking traffic but glancing at Ponyboy. Kid was daydreaming again. Normally Two-Bit didn't think much of this, but now he wondered: What was he thinking about? Or, rather, who?

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Sonia walked the seventeen blocks to her new job. She had applied on Saturday when she had seen the HELP WANTED sign hung on the door of the DX station when Two-Bit had pulled in for a fill up. She got the job immediately. They must really have been desperate.

Apparently two teenage boys handled business afternoon and evening hours. The manager was promoting one—he had pointed out a blond boy talking to Two-Bit while the dark-haired one filled up the tank—and he needed someone to take his place at the counter.

"I just hope it won't have an effect on our female customers," he had sighed, scratching his head. "They come from as far as the West side of town, and they always seem to run out of gas right here. Then they don't leave until closing hours."

Now, Sonia pulled her new work shirt from her backpack as she approached the station and pulled it over her t-shirt as she entered.

"New help?" the blond one at the counter beamed at her. His nametag read "Sodapop." If he ran the counter, then Sonia could see why the DX got so many female customers. He looked like a movie star.

"Yeah," Sonia said awkwardly. "Uh, hi. I'm Sonia."

"Not according to your shirt, imposter," Sodapop teased. "Sun alley?"

"It's Sonali," Sonia gently corrected his pronunciation. "But people just call me Sonia."

"Why?" Sodapop asked. "Sonali's pretty. Like you."

Sonia flushed pink. "An overstated compliment, but thanks. And most people seem to find the prettiness of it wears off when they can't pronounce it. Sonia's easier on most Americans."

"You're Indian, right?" Sodapop said. When Sonia nodded, he stuck out his hand. It was grimy with oil, but Sonia shook it anyway. "I'm Sodapop," he said. His smile never seemed to switch off. "Welcome to Oklahoma. Two-Bit was telling us about his stepsister from India. Is your dad really maharajah of Delhi, and does he really have eighteen wives?"

He was perfectly serious. Sonia's jaw dropped. "W-what?" she stammered.

"I thought it was only Two-Bit joking, but you can never be to careful. Where're you really from?"

"Philadelphia," Sonia said, still recovering from his statement. Two-Bit, she decided, must've taken one crack too many in the head while fighting. Either that or he was on crack.

"Well, anyway, welcome to the DX, here's your station," he leaped nimbly over the counter, "Don't let anybody steal anything, if they try to there's a gun taped under the cash register. Oh, and here's how you work the soda machine in case anyone wants a drink."

He showed her how the individual taps worked. "Sprite, Pepsi, Coke—whoops!"

The tap from which he sprayed Coke must have been broken, because a jet of the sugary brown liquid shot out and smacked Soda in the face and splattered Sonia before he turned it off.

"Guess that one's broken. Sorry," he said sheepishly, mopping off his face with a dirty rag. When he had finished, his nose was smudged black.

"It's okay. By the way, are you Ponyboy's brother?"

He seemed pleased. "You know Pony?"

"Yeah, he's in my English class."

"Oh!" A light bulb went on in his head. "You're that chick he was talking about!"

"What?"

"You guys and Two-Bit going out Friday night? Man, I'm so sorry about your mom," his comprehensive look was swept away by one of compassion. "I know how it feels."

"It's okay," Sonia said. "Ponyboy speaks very highly of you. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Sodapop laughed. "You don't have to get all uptight, teacher-y on me, Sonali," he said. "If we're gonna work together, you gotta chill."

Sonia tried to do so. She slouched somewhat and said, "Uh, okay, whatever dude. Whatever's sharp with you, I'm down with that. I ain't no breeze."

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's Philly slang," Sonia sighed. "Never mind."

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"Met your girlfriend today," Soda told Pony. "She's tuff enough, but she's gotta loosen up a little. Sounds more like your kinda girl, Darry," he laughed.

"Funny," Darry muttered. "I got better things to do than squandering my valuable time acting on juvenile impulses and engaging in unlawful and licentious behavior."

There was a pause as Soda digested this. "I have no idea what you just said," he said finally. "But I'm sure it was intelligent. Pony, pass the salt."

"But, you're eating an apple," Ponyboy said even as he passed the shaker to Soda.

"Yeah, and your point is?"

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"What do you think my chances with Ponyboy are?" Anne asked.

Sonia wanted to scream. It had been a long day, she had just finished her homework and she wanted to sleep. But the thirteen-year-old that was responsible for the pink nightmare he was living in wouldn't shut up.

"A million to one," Sonia yawned. "Good night."

"Is that in my favor or against?"

"In. Good night."

"What does he think of me?"

"I haven't asked. Good night."

"What does he—?"

"_Good night!"_

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	7. I'll Never Forget

Chapter Seven: I'll Never Forget

Walking to the DX that Friday, Sonia was startled by a car honking loudly from just behind her. She whirled around and a greaser's car pulled over to the curb.

It was the cleanest, sharpest greaser car she had ever seen. It was in mint condition. If it was fifteen years ago, it could be a Soc car.

A boy with dark, swirled greasy hair stuck his head out the window. "Need a ride, Sonali?" he asked roughly.

"Who are you?" Sonia asked the first question that came to her mind.

"Steve. I work at the DX, and I can see that you're the new girl," he said, looking at her shirt.

"Uh, yeah. Sure," Sonia said. She walked around to the other side and sat down in the passenger seat. The car may have been in perfect condition, but it smelled like cigarettes and cheap perfume, like most things this side of Tulsa did.

"You're the new counter girl?" Steve asked shortly. He seemed to have an air of permanent anger at the world about him.

"Yeah," she said. "You must work on all the cars, right?"

She figured it had to be so, if his car was in such good condition. Up until he had honked, she hadn't even heard it coming up behind her. Even now, she could barely hear the engine.

"Yeah, so?" Steve said.

"I can hardly hear your engine," Sonia changed the subject. "How do you get it so quiet?"

"I reassembled it so it doesn't run on gas," Steve said with a measure of pride. "Well, it does need a little bit, but mostly it runs on electricity. You see, it…"

He launched into a lecture, and Sonia didn't understand a word. But Steve was enjoying himself, so she kept her mouth shut.

"…One of these days I'm gonna patent it," he said proudly as they pulled into the DX.

"Okay," Sonia said, but inside she had doubts. _A car running on electricity? Steve must have a screw loose under all that hair,_ she thought.

The manager had been right. An awful lot of girls did come around. They all seemed disappointed to see that Sodapop was no longer running the counter. They hung around anyway in case he came around, squealing in delight when he emerged to tell Sonia something or to help Steve in the garage.

"They're mad," Sonia said aloud when they were finally gone. "They are out of their minds, I swear…"

"Yeah, they're mad about Soda," Steve said from behind her. Sonia jumped about half a mile. She hadn't realized he was there.

"Soda!" Steve called when Sodapop came in from the garage. "Evie wants me to take her out tonight. Wanna double?"

"With who?" Sodapop said disdainfully. "Forget it, man."

"Come on, Soda," Steve insisted. "You haven't been out forever. It's Friday night, we're closing early, you need to get out some!"

"But Darry and Pony..."

"They'll get over it."

"Pony's worried about you," Sonia remarked quietly. She looked up to see both boy staring at her. "Sorry. I should've stayed out of it."

"Don't be sorry, you're standing right there after all," Steve said distractedly. He turned to Sodapop. Sonia watched in confusion as they had a mime argument, with Steve flailing his arms and Soda shaking his head violently.

"Sonia," Steve said winningly, turning to her finally. "Soda wants to ask you out tonight."

"No he doesn't!" Soda shouted. Then, hurriedly, "Not that there's anything wrong with you, Sonia, but—"

"Then what's the problem with going out? You need a date, it's Friday night, and she's standing right there, what's the problem?"

"Ponyboy likes her, I can't do that to him…"

"You think of the kid too much. They're not really going out, so what's the big deal, and anyway he doesn't have to know about it."

"You are just…"

"GUYS!" Sonia finally barked. They turned to her. "I have plans for tonight."

"Like what?" Steve demanded as Soda breathed a sigh of relief.

"Like none of your business," Sonia snapped before ducking behind the counter to get her things. She stayed down there until she heard Steve leave, and then straightened up.

"Thanks," Soda said. "But, what are you doing tonight, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Nothing," Sonia said. "I could see you didn't want to go out with me, so I've made plans with Jane Austen."

"Who?"

"I meant I was going to read tonight," Sonia said, pulling _Pride and Prejudice_ out of her bag to show him.

"Oh," Soda said. "That's a shame, because I really would have liked to go out with you. Just not with Steve."

Sonia cracked a grin. "Does Ponyboy really like me?"

"Yeah. He also likes Cherry Valance and the girl who sits next to him in biology who supposedly looks good in yellow."

"Maybe tomorrow night," Sonia said, smiling. "Call me. You know where I live."

Leaving the DX, she smacked herself mentally. What was wrong with her? Not even two weeks here, and she already had had a date—sort of—and had another one—possibly—coming up?

This flew in the face of everything her mother had ever taught her: stay away from American boys because they will take advantage and corrupt you. But Soda wasn't corrupt, and he certainly didn't want to take advantage of her.

She was utterly confused. Should she abide by her mother's strict Indian values, or adhere to those of American teenagers?

She remembered another thing her mother had always taught her: if you forget your parents and the way they have brought you up, you ultimately forget yourself.

And that was one thing Sonia didn't want to do.

That night, when Soda called, she had an excuse all ready to go. But when she heard his voice on the line, the excuse withered on her tongue. What came out instead was the whole, utterly stupid, plain truth.

"Wow," Soda said when she was done. "I never realized…"

"Soda, I'm sorry," Sonia said softly. "I'm…I guess I'm just not ready yet."

"Okay. I understand," Soda said. "When I first broke up with Sandy…even now, I'm just getting back into dating and stuff."

Sonia wondered but knew better than to ask who Sandy was. "Thanks for understanding," Sonia said, abashed. "I'll see you at work." She hung up then, feeling like a total idiot but somehow righteous.

_I'll never forget you, ma,_ she thought firmly. _Nothing can replace what you taught me. _

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Lame ending, no? Meh, I don't care.


	8. Ice Cream Man

Chapter Eight: Ice Cream Man

The days fell into a pattern. Seamus and Hannah were going to be married in April, just in time for spring.

It was February now, fast approaching Valentine's day. This year had been a throwback to an Indian summer, as Two-Bit had put it.

"An Indian summer," he chortled, nudging Sonia. "That's what happens when Indians come around here."

Being half-Irish, Sonia's skin was fair enough that people didn't make a big deal out of her heritage. But her problems with making friends came from being a decent girl on the wrong side of town. Greaser girls thought she was stuck up, and Socs thought she was trash.

So she hung out mainly with Ponyboy, Cherry Valance, and even occasionally Randy Adderson. Sonia had by now learned the entire story of what had gone down and what Ponyboy had been through.

Her friends in Philly kept in touch, writing her every so often. Sonia saved all of the letters, from Lakshmi, Charu and Isha.

It was almost closing time at the DX. Sodapop waltzed in and threw his rag at Sonia. "Whazzap, Sony?"

"Don't call me that," she said, throwing it back at him. The bell above the door jangled as she did this, heralding the arrival of Jason Ranaldi and Stephen Denis, the captains of the football and swimming teams respectively.

"How sweet. Greaser romance," Jason said. Stephen laughed on cue.

"Don't you two have something to go to on your side of town? Getting drunk off scotch or something?" Sonia challenged. Those two thought they were all that, and was sick and tired of getting knocked around as they barreled through the hallways at school. Of course, Soda wasn't to know this, and kicked her out of sight of the Socs to get her to shut up.

Jason leered at her. "You've got quite a smart mouth, for a mixed mutt."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Soda shot in.

"Half white, half…what the hell are you anyway?" Jason said scathingly. "You're not black, what are you? Mexican?"

"Indian," Sonia said shortly.

"Indian. Well, looks like we got us a squaw here," Jason said, circling around the counter and looking her over.

"Not even, man. She's the chick from India." That was Stephen.

"How do you know?" Jason demanded.

"She's in my AP Calculus class. The Arabian filly from Philly, they call her."

"What do you want?" Sonia said calmly.

"Nothing," Jason said, still leering at her. Sonia's hand edged slowly towards the gun taped under the cashier.

Soda kicked her ankle again and gave her a warning look, but Sonia didn't move her hand. She kept it suspended under the table.

"Actually, I need a fill-up," Jason said casually, not taking his eyes off Sonia. "Go fill it up for me, will you, greaser?"

Soda gave him a nasty look, but slowly made his way to the door. When he had left, Jason and Stephen both rounded on Sonia.

_Oh, shit,_ Sonia thought. _They're gonna jump me._

But neither boy moved. Sonia stared them down until Soda came back in.

"How much do I owe you?" Jason asked calmly.

"Ten dollars," Soda said. Jason handed Sonia the crisp bill. As she took it from him, his hand grabbed her wrist.

Sonia opened her mouth, but Jason was already scribbling something on her palm with a pen. He released her, smiled and walked out, Stephen following him.

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"What'd he write?" Soda asked when they had gone. "His number?"

"No," Sonia said quietly. "Where can I wash my hands?"

Soda leaned over to see. Scrawled on her hand was possibly the most obscene racial slur he had ever seen in his life, including the ones greasers sometimes shouted to black folks.

"In the back," he said. "There's a bar of soap there, too."

As Sonia trudged off, Two-Bit barged in. "Howdy!" he said cheerfully.

"What are you doing here, Two-Bit?" Soda demanded.

"Well, excuse me for interrupting your party of one," Two-Bit frowned. "I just saw Mr. Super Soc and his crony leaving. What's up?"

"Nothing, just harassing Sonia," Soda sighed. "She's in the back washing off the ink."

"They poured ink on her?" Two-Bit said, aghast.

"No!" Soda groaned in disgust. "One of them made like he was giving her his number, and instead of writing _that_ on her hand, he wrote…something else."

"What?" Two-Bit demanded. "What did he say?"

Soda told him. Two-Bit's eyebrows shot up. "He said that to her?"

"Well, wrote it, but yeah," Soda said heavily. "She's taking it okay, but still. Ouch."

"You're telling me," Two-Bit mumbled. "I'm gonna slash their tires."

"Have fun," Soda said.

"Have fun doing what?" Sonia demanded. "Oh, hi, Two-Bit."

"Have fun slashing those dumb Socs' tires," Two-Bit frowned. "After what they said to you."

"Wrote, actually," Sonia said dryly. "And thanks."

"No problem, chickadee," Two-Bit said. "C'mon, time's a wasting. Hey, where's Mr. Swirly?"

Soda cocked an eyebrow. "You mean the ice cream man that only goes around the West side of town?"

"No. Steve. But now that you mention it, I do miss Mr. Swirly," he said reminiscently.

"He never came to our side of town!"

"Yeah, but remember when we were kids, and it was still safe to go over there, and we would run the full twenty miles so we were nice and thirsty for ice cream when we got there?"

"Sounds like you guys had a fantastic childhood," Sonia said.

"Like you ever had an ice cream man?" Two-Bit challenged.

"We had better. Every summer we used to head down to the little drugstore at the end of our street and get ice creams from the icebox there. We used to take our own sweet time choosing with our arms in the box, because that was the only air conditioning we got. We'd hang around there until Mr. Singh, the owner, chased us away. But only after we'd paid for the ice cream."

By this time Soda and Two-Bit were laughing.

"Oh yeah, some letter came for you today," Two-Bit said, handing it to her. "Anne was going to open it as soon as she saw it was for you."

Sonia frowned. "She's awfully nosy," she commented.

"You're telling me," Soda rolled his eyes. "The last time she was in here she wouldn't stop asking me about Pony. What's Pony's favorite drink? What's his favorite book? Does he have a girlfriend? Does he want one?"

"Don't go talking bad about my sister," Two-Bit warned while Sonia read her letter.

"I'm not, I'm just saying."

"Oh my god."

The boys turned to Sonia, whose wide eyes were fixed on the page.

"What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost," said Soda.

"It's Preity," Sonia said in a hushed voice.

"Who?" Two-Bit said.

"My friend from Philly. I've got to tell Seamus. I've got to get to Philly as soon as possible!" she said, darting to the door.

"Wait!" Soda and Two-Bit ran after her. "Why do you have to get to Philly?"

Two-Bit hopped into the driver's seat and Sonia dove into the passenger seat. Soda was left standing by the door, yelling, "What happened?"

But they were already gone. The next afternoon, Steve said she hadn't been at school when she didn't turn up for work. The manager insisted that she had had a valid excuse, but it was none of their business.

_She didn't quit,_ Soda reassured himself. _That means she'll be back. I hope._

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	9. Arranged Marriages

Chapter Nine: Arranged Marriages

Sonia only had five dollars, which paid her cab fare up until about five blocks from her street. She had changed on the plane, and ignored the weird looks people were giving her as she sprinted down the sidewalk. It was harder than it looked to run in a sari, an Indian dress made out of six yards of material. Sonia's was azure. It had once been her mother's, the very sari she wore disembarking her flight into America.

She made it to Preity's house without incident. She burst in. Everyone present, an all-Indian group of women, turned simultaneously and squealed with delight upon seeing her.

Her friends ushered her to the front of the room once the reunion had dispersed, and Preity stepped forward to hug her as best as possible with henna designs stretching from the tips of her fingers to the crooks of her elbows.

"Who is he?" Sonia demanded in Hindi.

"Remember Shekar?" Preity said, a blush appearing even on her dark skin. She looked radiant, her skin shining with turmeric, her hair hidden under a veil. Red, the color of her wedding sari, always had been a good color for her.

Sonia raised an eyebrow. "The one who always said your skin was the color of dog doo?"

"He's grown up since then," Preity insisted. "He got his engineering degree in the UK and when he came back, our parents arranged out marriage."

Chetna chuckled. "Even in America, Indian youth isn't allowed to arrange our own marriages."

"Well, it's not like this is a child marriage," Lakshmi said. "Preity's twenty. Even in India, it's so outdated."

"Enough about this marriage business," Jhumpa insisted. "Tell us about Tulsa. Lots of cowboys?"

"It's a city," Sonia said. "No cowboys, but everybody rides rodeo at some point. Just not me. And I'm in a neighborhood with greasers."

Mithwa raised an eyebrow. "White trash? I feel so sorry for you."

Sonia shook her head. "They're not trash. Just poor and trying to be cool. Like us."

"Except we don't try to be cool," Preity cut in. "We accept the fact that we're nerds."

"Speak for yourself, F.O.B.," Mithwa teased, causing them all to break out in laughter. F.O.B. meant "fresh off the boat," as in come newly from India. None of them were Fobs, but it was like the term "greaser": once an insult, now just a label.

Preity's mother ran in. "The groom is here!" she said breathlessly. "Hurry up, you girls!"

"Why's it such a big deal that the groom is here?" Jhumpa muttered. "The groom isn't here, now that's interesting. Scandal, betrayal, desertion…"

"Sounds like a bad Hindi film," Sonia said.

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Soda felt like grabbing Two-Bit by the collar, shaking him and demanding to know where Sonia was when he pulled into the DX. Instead, he settled for nonchalantly asking, "Any news from Sonia?"

"Yeah, she called. She'll be back in three days, her friend's getting married, she sends her love, blah blah blah."

"Oh," Soda said, disappointed. "Nothing else?"

"Yeah, she's the queen of Jhansi."

"Two-Bit!"

"Whaaaat?"

"Where's Jhansi?"

"I dunno. I asked her on the phone, 'Anything else you'd like to say?' And she said, 'yeah, I'm the queen of Jhansi.' Then she hung up. But she was being sarcastic."

"You know, somehow I'd figured that," Soda muttered, turning to the gas tank.

"Oh, but she called Friday," Two-Bit said, fiddling with his new switchblade.

It was Monday. Soda's head whipped around so fast he gave himself a crick. He grimaced and rubbed his neck as he exclaimed, "Whaaaat? She's coming home today?"

"I guess."

"What time?"

"I think her flight comes in at two."

Soda glanced at the clock. It was three-thirty. Sonia would have been back in Tulsa and at work by now. "Two-Bit, who's getting her from the airport?"

Two-Bit dropped his switchblade. "Oh, shit, I was supposed to."

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Sorry so short.


	10. Tulsa is Weird

Chapter Ten: Tulsa is Weird

Sonia banged down the phone, swearing loudly enough to attract dirty looks from people, mainly older ladies who no doubt upheld that swearing was unbecoming for a young lady.

Sonia had waited patiently until two-fifteen before she started to worry that Two-Bit had forgotten to pick her up. He was awfully scatterbrained, another one of his traits that irked her to no end. Still, despite his faults, she was becoming rather fond of the guy.

By two-thirty, she really began to worry, but convinced herself that he was just running late. By two-forty five, though, she was seething and calling up the house. Anne had answered, saying he wasn't there. Sonia had called the Curtis', too, and even the school in case Two-Bit had a detention. She was about to call Seamus or Hannah to come get her, but then she realized she was completely out of money.

It was three-forty five. A thought occurred to her. What if Two-Bit had been in an accident. No, that couldn't be. Somebody would have heard and come to get her by now, if not sooner.

By four, Sonia's blood was boiling with rage and she contented herself with imagining what she would do to Two-Bit if he ever decided to show up.

She was considering running him over with Steve's car at night—that way no one would see _or_ hear it—when Two-Bit's car pulled up. It was four-thirty.

Sonia stormed over and was about to tear into him when she saw who was driving. Soda.

"Soda?" she said, her anger dissolving. "Wha—?"

"Two-Bit's in the back," Soda jerked a thumb backwards. Sonia glanced in the backseat and scowled at Two-Bit's innocent little boy I-didn't-mean-to look. It didn't fool her for a second.

She glared at him. "Thanks a lot," she said. "For abandoning me here, with disapproving old ladies and guys who breathe down your neck waiting for you to get done with the phone and nasty flight attendants."

Maybe she was exaggerating a little. It must have showed, because Two-Bit ditched the feel-sorry-for-me look and grinned.

"Aw, shoot, Sony, it wasn't that long," he said. "And I'm sorry."

"Shoot nothing!" she shouted. "Two and a half hours! Jesus, Two-Bit, I was worried you got into an accident and died!"

It wasn't just that, though. What had really gotten to her was the thought that Two-Bit could forget about her completely, like she didn't exist. She was sure he wouldn't have forgotten his friends or sister. She knew he was scatterbrained, but even he couldn't forget something this important, could he?

She was silent as they drove Two-Bit back to his house, and silent driving to the DX before Soda spoke up.

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"Two-Bit didn't mean to forget you," he said. Sonia grunted in response. "Really, I mean it," Soda insisted. "He's forgetful. It's not just you, he forgets everything."

Sonia looked away from him, staring out the window.

"Look, I know you're mad at Two-Bit, but will you at least talk to me?" Soda said, frustrated.

Sonia turned back to him. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I didn't mean…I mean, I just…I guess I'm just being stupid," she sighed.

"No, you're not," Soda reassured her.

That seemed to be just the encouragement she needed to keep talking. "I mean, I know he's great and all, but I just feel like he totally forgot I existed. Like I don't mean anything."

"You do," Soda said.

They glanced at each other. Soda pulled into the DX, leaped out and darted around to open her door in a comically chivalrous manner, bowing as she stepped out, giggling.

"Why, how gallant of you, Sir Sodapop," she said, trying and failing to keep a straight face.

"My pleasure, Lady Sonali," he responded, bowing still lower. He couldn't help but be pleased with himself that he had made her smile.

Steve chose that moment to stride over and kick him. Soda toppled over and tackled Sonia around the knees in a reflexive effort to keep his balance.

Steve roared with laughter as Soda and Sonia ended up in a tangle on the ground, struggling to get up and Soda apologizing.

Sonia stood up first, hauling up Soda by an arm and glaring irately at Steve. Soda grinned and leapt at Steve, yelling, "You're in for it, greaser!"

Sonia, who by now knew enough to realize they were just goofing around, shrugged and headed back inside.

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"I think Soda likes you," Anne told Sonia that evening.

"Well, sure. We're friends," Sonia said absently, concentrating more on her math homework.

"No, he likes you like a girlfriend," Anne said. "Ponyboy told me so."

Ponyboy and Anne were acquaintances fast becoming friends, although Anne seemed to think there was more going on. Sonia just hoped that Ponyboy would let her down gently when the time came, or she would have to wring his neck.

"Okay," Sonia said. Inside, though, she was filled with excitement. She struggled to hide it from Anne, who was looking at her expectantly.

"Ponyboy has a girlfriend, too," Anne added.

Sonia's head whipped around. Anne seemed to be okay with it. "Who?" Sonia asked.

"Some girl named Cathy," she said. "But it won't last, I know. She's in love with another guy. Bryon Douglass."

"Okay," Sonia said. "So?"

"Nothing," Anne said, snuggling under the covers. "I'm just saying."

_What,_ Sonia wondered as she turned off the light, _is with kids around here always having to have a girlfriend or boyfriend? Is it a social disease if you don't?_

Tulsa was, in a word, weird. And Sonia missed Philly more than ever, having just been there.

She was a homesick alien on a strange planet. And she wanted to go back to where she came from. But what could she do?

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Soda clanged down the phone, disappointed. Sonia had called in sick to work.

Two-Bit burst through the door. "Have you seen Sonia?" were the first words to spill out of his mouth. He looked panicked.

"I just got off the phone with her," Soda said, startled. "Why?"

"Because," Two-Bit said, pulling a piece of paper from his pocket. "Anne found this on her bed this morning. The dumb chick ran away!"

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	11. In Denial

Chapter Eleven: In Denial

"What? Two-Bit, is this one of your dumb jokes? Cause if it is…" Soda began.

"Soda, I'm serious. She's gone." Two-Bit's face gave away no sign of a prank, and his gray eyes were like the sky before a storm.

"Where?" was all Soda could say.

Two-Bit's face twisted in annoyance. "Well, if I knew that, I wouldn't be banging in here asking if you'd seen her, would I?"

"No. What'd she write?" Soda asked. Two-Bit handed him the note.

_Dear Seamus, Hannah, Anne and Two-Bit,_

_In case you haven't figured it out by now, I'm gone. For good. There isn't anything you can do to make me come back. _

_I'm sorry to run off like this, but I can't live in Tulsa. I don't belong here. I'm going back to Philly. _

_Don't worry about me. Things will go back to the way they were without me. Please don't come after me. It's better this way. _

_Say goodbye to Sodapop, Ponyboy, Cherry and Steve for me. I love all of you and won't ever forget you. _

—_Sonali Ganguli (Sonia)_

Soda handed the note back to Two-Bit. "Where does she come off running away like this?" he said quietly. Anger filled him, coursing through his veins.

"Soda, the gauge's out on—Two-Bit!" Steve had come in. "What's the matter?" he said, noticing the looks on their faces.

"Sonia ran away," Two-Bit said, crumpling the note in his hand.

"About time," Steve said.

Words cannot describe the looks Soda and Two-Bit gave him. Steve noticed and hurriedly added, "I don't mean nothing by it. I just mean that…she was out of place here. She was talking about moving away as soon as she gets old enough, getting out of here, that kind of stuff."

"When?" Soda demanded.

Steve shrugged. "We were talking. She's quiet, but when she kind of gets to trust you she's a motor mouth."

"What's wrong with Tulsa? Nobody was giving her a hard time or anything," Two-Bit said. "Were they?" he added uncertainly.

"No," Steve said. "She just missed her friends and stuff."

"We're her friends," Soda said defensively.

"Think about it, though," Two-Bit said. "She's lived there all her life, known those people all her life, probably trusts them with her life…then her mom dies and she's sent down here."

"How different can it be?" Soda wanted to know.

"Southwest versus way out East. Very different," said Two-Bit.

"Shut up," Soda said moodily, and stomped out to go back to work. Just before he slammed the door behind him, he saw Two-Bit shake his head sadly and mouth "denial" to Steve.

He was not in denial. He was just…he didn't even know.

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Sonia fell asleep on the bus and nearly missed her stop. Luckily she woke up in time and groggily pulled the chain. The bus screeched to a stop in West Philadelphia and Sonia staggered off with her bags.

From a payphone, she called Lakshmi. "Lakhs?" she said once her friend had picked up. "I need a favor."

She had a plan. She would stay at Lakshmi's until she could find an apartment, then get a job, work part-time and go to school. Then, she could work throughout college to pay for tuition. Maybe if she were lucky she would get a scholarship and wouldn't have to work. But she would anyway, to save for when she got out of college. Then maybe she would go to medical school, and become a doctor.

It was foolproof. But she knew it would never work.

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	12. Soda To You

Chapter Twelve: Soda To You

Sonia shifted uncomfortably in the seat. It was almost as hard and cold as the social worker's eyes.

"No," the woman was saying, "Your house has not been sold. It was entrusted to you in your mother's will—she came and had it made up with a lawyer in this very office, as a matter of fact. It will be held in our custody until you can claim possession of it when you are eighteen."

"Oh, okay," Sonia said calmly, though her heart was pounding out of her chest. She still had her old house key. "How will it be kept up?"

"We are not responsible for taking care of the house," the woman said sharply. "We are not housemaids here."

"All right," Sonia said nonchalantly, but smiled inwardly. Perfect.

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In the weeks that followed, Sonia returned to school in Philly and got a job. It wasn't at a gas station, but at the Indian grocery store at the end of her block. She found it hilarious that Mr. Singh, a known penny pincher, actually paid her more than the DX owner had back in Tulsa. Or maybe he just favored her because she was Indian. Either way, life was looking up.

Someone was rapping incessantly on the front door. "I'm coming," Sonia called, swiftly drying her hands on a dishtowel. "Coming, coming," she sighed as the knocking continued impatiently.

She swung open the door and her eyes bugged out, for standing there was the last person she had expected to see.

Not Soda, or Seamus, or Hannah, or even Two-Bit. It was Anne.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here?" were the first words out of, surprisingly, Anne's mouth.

"I ought to be asking you that question," Sonia replied dryly. "How did you get here?"

"I took the bus. And you're coming back with me."

"You seem awfully confident about that."

"You gotta come back!" Anne blurted. "It's killing Soda. Ponyboy says so. Two-Bit and Steve practically have to tie him to a chair to keep him from driving up here."

Despite herself, Sonia's heart was racing. "Why?" she demanded. "He can have any girl he wants, why me when I obviously can't stay in Tulsa?"

"Ask him yourself," Anne replied. "He sent you a letter, you know."

"I never got it. But I haven't checked today's mail either," she added, running to the stack of bills the mailman had left for her. Bill, bill, more bills...ah. There it was, a thick white envelope postmarked in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Anne peered over Sonia's shoulder as she ripped open the envelope and began reading it. "I already know what it says," Anne said. "I just wanted to read it again."

"I wasn't complaining," Sonia muttered.

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_Dear Sonia,_

_I might not have known you long but I want you to know I love you anyways. This letter is realy hard to write, mostly cause I miss you and don't know what to say but also because I pretty much suck at writin and school stuff. _

_Two-Bit's worried and Steve wants to wring your neck, and I just want to see you again. Don't ask me why or how I feel this way, but I just do. I haven't felt this way about a girl since Sandy._

_Please write me back, or better yet come back to Tulsa. I know its been a while, but there's still an opening at the DX. Nobody's filled it yet and actualy we're getting kind of desprat. _

_At least come and visit us sometime maybe, okay?_

_Love, Sodapop Patrick Curtis (Soda to you)_

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	13. On Her Way Back

Chapter Thirteen: On Her Way Back

"Well?" Anne demanded.

"Well what?" Sonia demanded. "You don't think I'm going back, do you?"

"Uh," Anne said. "Yeah."

Sonia sighed. She could see that Anne had no intention of making this easy. "You go back to Tulsa this instant."

"Not without you."

"I'll come. In about two weeks."

Anne's eyes bugged. "Two _weeks?"_ she shrieked. "That's too late!"

"That's the earliest I can come, if you're here to bring me back permanently," Sonia said acidly.

"I am. But why?"

"I have to get my stuff in order. Transcripts, quit my job, tell the social workers, etcetera and so forth. Oh yeah, and beg Seamus and Hannah to take me back."

Anne huffed. "Call them now," she urged.

"That's a good idea," Sonia said. "They don't know where you are, do they?"

"Sure they do," Anne lied through her teeth. "No need to mention me."

Sonia smirked at Anne, already dialing. "What do you think I am, stupid? They wouldn't have let you come up here by yourself."

_Damn,_ Anne thought as Sonia called her house. She leapt forward and, grabbing the phone from Sonia's hand, clanged it down on the receiver.

"On second thought," she said hurriedly, "let's surprise them."

"I'll have to come back if I go with you now," Sonia reminded her. "To—"

"Yeah, yeah," Anne said. "Let's go."

"That's going to be a lot more difficult than if I just come in a couple of weeks."

"Yeah, I know," Anne said, ignoring Sonia's pointed tone. "Let's go. The bus leaves in ten minutes."

"Wait for me to get my stuff!" Sonia exclaimed, wringing free of Anne's urging hand pulling her towards the door.

Anne fidgeted impatiently as Sonia threw a few clothes into a bag and called in sick. "Can't believe I'm doing this," she muttered once they were on the bus. "How I got talked into this…lost my feeble mind…"

Anne ignored her and settled back to stare out the window at the countryside whipping by as they left the city way behind. She was glad she had persuaded Sonia to come. Admittedly, it had been easier than she had thought.

_It's really not fair to Sonia,_ she thought. _Dragging her back and forth like this._

And it wasn't, really. But Anne didn't think she could stand another minute of Ponyboy talking about how miserable Soda was. She liked Ponyboy and all, but she was sick of listening to him harp.

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Eh. Just a chapter to get back into writing this story, after all this time.


	14. Not a DateMaybe a Fig?

Chapter Fourteen: Not A Date…Maybe A Fig?

"Why'd you run off like that?" Soda demanded. It was just past nine, the sun long set over the horizon. They were parked in the deep mud beside Lake Logan, where Soda had brought many a willing girl.

But tonight was anything but romantic. He had just wanted a place to talk to Sonia alone with no distractions. As he had quickly found out, such a place was nonexistent in their house with the gang walking in on them all the time.

So he had asked her to come down here. "Not a date," he had added hastily, seeing the look on her face. "Maybe a fig?" he tried to make her laugh.

She had turned away, but not before Soda saw the half-smile his half-baked joke had brought on and said, "All right. But only because we don't get any peace around here."

No one ever came down here. It was peaceful, their only company the gentle gurgling of the water and the cicadas.

Sonia didn't answer, so Soda repeated his question.

"I don't know," she said finally, and nothing after.

"That's it?" Soda said heatedly. "Jesus, Sonia, after all that and you don't even have an explanation as to why or what the hell—?" He was so angry he wasn't making any sense to himself.

It had been a week or so. Sonia had brought everything back from Philly and it seemed that she would never be going back. She had allowed Seamus to put her and her mother's former house up for sale.

"I can't explain it, okay?" Sonia said, still calmly but with an edge. Soda couldn't understand why she was avoiding his every question, and normally he would have backed off, but tonight he couldn't seem to stop himself.

"I don't know, okay?" Sonia snapped at last. Soda closed his mouth, astonished that she had exploded like that.

They sat there for a long while, Sonia fuming and Soda shocked into silence. It was all quite funny actually, now that he thought of it, and he had to stuff his fist into his mouth to keep from laughing. He hoped Sonia was too wrapped up in herself to notice his red face and shoulders shaking.

No such luck. "What's so funny?" she demanded.

"Nothing," Soda said, his chortles subsiding. She didn't question him further.

"Can you take me home?" she asked.

Soda considered refusing until he got his questions answered, but then realized it wouldn't work. Sonia would just get out and start walking. Every other girl in Tulsa he had threatened with that was always too lazy to do so.

"Okay," he said. He turned the key. He turned it again. And again. And again. He swore.

"We're stuck, aren't we?" Sonia sighed. "Car died, right?"

Soda grinned sheepishly. His charm had no effect on Sonia. "Okay," he said. "Let's start walking. Me and Steve'll come back out here and he can start it up again."

Sonia leapt out of the car and landed like a cat. Soda walked around to the other side and, in mock gallantry, offered her his arm. Playing along, she took it. Soda thought he saw her roll her eyes in the pale moonlight.

Steve was on their couch when Soda walked into his house after dropping Sonia off at home.

"Hot date?" Steve teased.

Soda smacked him with a pillow. "You know it was no such thing."

"You wish it was, though."

Soda smacked him hard with the pillow again, knowing that he was right.

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Just to get back into writing. Wow it's been a while.


End file.
